by Bella Grant
A bubble of laughter exploded from the far corner of the room, and without thinking, she began walking toward it. She could make out several rubber balls, all of different sizes and colors, being thrown up into the air. A juggler. She had loved watching the performers at the carnivals her mother had taken her to as a child.
As Isabella found a place among the crowd, she could make out the brightly dressed clown with his white face and different geometric shapes drawn around each eye. She giggled when he started to sashay to the music playing behind him while still keeping the four balls aloft in the air. When he started to bop up and down, wiggling his backside almost crudely when a new song began, she let out a loud laugh, joining the others in the crowd.
Hands slipped around her waist, and Antonio’s chin rested on her shoulder. “You are so beautiful when you laugh.” His whispered compliment lingered between them. Unsure how to respond, she leaned into the length of his muscular body. “There are at least half a dozen speeches we need to sit through this evening,” he warned her, his lips brushing against the side of her neck. She was suddenly very aware of the tender spot just behind her ear. “I prefer this, though.”
The clown finished his routine, and the crowd applauded. Isabella hated to break away from Antonio’s embrace, but she didn’t want to be rude either. He seemed to sense her indecision and released her, taking a step to her side, and began his own applause. Through her peripheral vision, she could make out his smile. The man was quite handsome when he wasn’t being an ass.
As the crowd dispersed, Antonio slipped his warm hand into hers, leading her down the main hall of the venue toward the event rooms. Carnival music pumped through the building, making the perfect background for the other clowns and sideshow acts to entertain the attendants.
The sign outside the door he led her to listed the names of the doctors giving speeches as well as their topic: childhood obesity. That wasn’t so grim. She had feared she’d have to listen to lectures about pediatric cancers and horrible stories of children ripped from the world much too soon.
Antonio led her to a table that was already full. She noticed Silver and Maria right away and smiled in greeting. At least she would know someone. Antonio made his way around the table, greeting those he knew, introducing her, and meeting the other guests. It seemed that almost everyone knew her husband, or at least had heard his name before. Apparently, he shared the same taste for charity as her brother.
“It is so good to see you here.” Maria almost clapped in her excitement. “I didn’t think I’d know anyone. I tried to get Silver to forget this whole thing, but he was extremely stubborn.” Maria opened her clutch and pulled out her compact, opening it to check her make up before snapping it shut and tossing it back in her small bag.
“Antonio didn’t mention you’d be here. I’m glad to see you, though.” Isabella took a seat beside her and turned to thank the man who had helped her into it. Antonio grinned back at her.
“I am capable of scooting my wife’s chair for her.” He winked at her and took the other chair beside her.
“Well, thank you.” She inclined her head toward him. “Don’t you find it a little ironic to serve such a rich dinner during this speech?” she whispered into his ear, not wanting anyone to hear in case they found her comment offensive.
“Perhaps a little,” he agreed and leaned back in his chair. A waitress stopped at the table to take their drink orders, and Antonio ordered her a glass of wine and a brandy for himself. She only smiled at him when he looked back at her. “We don’t see much childhood obesity on my island.” He continued the conversation.
“Raphael told me of the food shortage your island suffered after the tropical storm last year. Has there been much improvement since then?”
Antonio’s eyes widened just a bit before his lips broke into a wide smile. “Yes. The farmers have been able to start growing crops again, but many of the smaller villages have suffered great losses in livestock.”
“Maybe I could speak to Raphael and we could organize some event that would raise money to replenish the necessary livestock.” Isabella removed the napkin from the table setting before her and placed it in her lap, needing something for her hands to toy with to cover up the nervousness she felt at continuing their conversation.
Over the short course of their relationship, this was the most substantial conversation they’d had, and she was suddenly afraid she would say something to make herself—and more importantly, him—appear naive or uneducated.
“I don’t think we’ll need your brother’s assistance, but perhaps something more can be done. When Carmen arrives, I’ll discuss it with her.” Their drinks arrived at that moment, cutting off her opportunity to respond to his dismissal. She had only suggested her brother because philanthropy was right up his alley, although Isabella had to admit that Antonio seemed to do just as well. Why would he discuss the matter with his sister but not with her? He probably thought she wouldn’t be up for the task, and her shoulders slumped slightly.
She accepted the glass of sparkling wine Antonio handed her and sipped it while he struck up a conversation with others at their table. The dinner service began, and Isabella was grateful for the chance to hide behind her fork.
Maria made pleasant conversation throughout the meal, making sure to include everyone at the table. Isabella watched her with some unease. At one point in the past, Isabella had been able to hold the attention of a small group, but her audience usually did not hold such esteemed positions in politics or the medical world. There weren’t too many overly educated people at the beach, and when she had been forced to one of her brother’s events, she usually spent her time with friends who weren’t any more concerned with the world than herself.
Antonio leaned over toward the end of the meal and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. His hand slipped beneath the table and squeezed her knee. “I love this dress on you,” he said into her ear, the warmth of his breath bathing her neck. “I’d love it even more off.”
A shiver ran through her, and she could feel her body responding to him as his hand slid a little further up her thigh, gathering the dress up until the hem of the gown slid over her knee, exposing it to his touch.
“Antonio!” A rather robust man slapped her husband on his back. Dropping her gown, he turned away quickly to greet him. Isabella smoothed down the skirt of the gown and reached for the glass of iced water on the table. Her face had flushed from both the erotic touch as well as the slight embarrassment of almost being caught, and she welcomed the cool drink as it slid down her throat.
“Are you alright?” Maria leaned over and whispered.
“Oh, yes. Fine.” Isabella put on her freshest smile and nodded. “It’s just a little warm in here.” She set the glass back down.
“Really? Feels cool to me.” Maria grinned. “By the way, while your husband is distracted with that senator, I was meaning to call on you. Silver told me about the other night, and I wanted to see how you were doing.”
“The other night?” Isabella wrinkled her brow, having no idea what the woman was talking about.
“Yes. When I came home from the club, Silver lit into me about all sorts of things. My spending, my gallivanting around town with little-to-no security. He owns a rather large security company and does work for several governments and large corporations, so sometimes he gets a little paranoid.” Maria took a sip of her wine before she continued. “He went on and on about how I needed to start listening to him and doing what he said, and then he made the most obscene threat.” She let a little laugh out. “I’m sorry, I guess it’s not very funny.”
“What are you talking about?” Isabella was becoming dizzy just trying to follow Maria’s train of thought. She acted as though they both knew the subject matter, but Isabella had no clue.
“The other night,” she said as though that cleared the entire matter up. When Isabella continued to stare at her, she sighed and placed hand over Isabella’s. “Silver said to me ‘I
should throw you over my knee and give you a spanking!’” The end of the sentence was barely understood because she’d succumbed to another a fit of laughter.
Isabella’s face flushed hot. “What did you say?”
“He did say that! When I got angry about it, he told me what Antonio had said to him. You know, about you spending the evening over his knee. “
Isabella grabbed the napkin in her lap and began to twist it. “What?”
“Yes, Silver told me all about it. Did Antonio really do that? Does he really spank you? I won’t tell anyone, I swear.” She moved even closer to Isabella. “In fact, I think it’s kind of sexy, you know? The big bad man spanking you for being naughty? It’s a little kinky.”
Isabella knew Maria wasn’t trying to be insensitive, so she opted not to throw the woman from her chair. She laughed it off. “I’m sure Antonio was just trying to be funny.” Isabella reached for her wine glass, glancing at her husband, who appeared to be in a very serious discussion with the fat man who had interrupted them.
“Hmm. Maybe, but Silver said he looked very serious. He also told me that Antonio’s island is a little behind the times with women’s rights.”
Isabella’s stomach clenched. Although that part was somewhat true, she felt she needed to defend her husband’s country. “Great strides are being made.” The non-committal reply was her best option.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend.” Maria looked embarrassed. “You are just so independent, I thought… Well, it doesn’t matter.”
Not sure she could keep her temper checked for much longer, she threw on a brilliant smile and flashed it at Maria. “No offense taken. I’m sure Antonio was just irritated and was making silly conversation. If you’ll excuse me, I saw a magic show was scheduled in the next salon. I get to see carnival acts so rarely.”
Without saying a word to Antonio, who had gotten up to finish his conversation, she slipped from the table and headed to the next room. She just needed some breathing space, a moment to calm her temper. The promise she’d made to herself to get along with her husband was quickly becoming too difficult to maintain.
By the time she entered the adjoining salon where the magic act had already begun, tears burned her eyes. It was bad enough he felt he could take his hand to her backside as though she were an errant child, but to have boasted about it to another man? It was simply too much to bear.
“There’s a seat if you’d like.” An usher pointed out an empty chair in the audience.
“Thank you, but I’m fine here.” She gave a wobbly smile and leaned back against the wall, taking deep breaths. How would she face Maria again? And Silver! He was under the impression that Antonio had put her over his knee and spanked her after their dinner.
He had spanked her, but not in that manner. It was sensual, erotic, intimate…and now completely ruined by the knowledge that Silver and Maria were aware of it.
The crowd clapped loudly as the magician continued his show. She heard laughter and small conversations going on around her, but all she wanted at that moment was to shrink into a small ball and roll away.
“Isabella.” Antonio’s sharp voice snapped her attention to him. “You disappeared.”
She twisted to the side, noting his narrowed expression. “I told Maria where I was going. You were engrossed in your conversation, and I didn’t want to interrupt.” Her voice was amazingly steady given how her insides shook with rage and hurt.
“Yes, she mentioned you were in here.” Antonio glanced at the show before them. “Did you want to sit? There are seats up there.” He pointed to the same spot the usher had.
“No, thank you. I’m fine here.” She turned back, feeling his worried gaze on her. Silently, he moved behind her, wedging himself between her and the wall. His hands wrapped around her waist, and he pulled her to lean back against him.
“I thought you would enjoy this evening. I’m sorry if it’s been a bore so far.” His gentle tone massaged the edges of her irritation.
“I am having a good time.” She nodded, her head bumping his chin as she did. “It’s been very educational,” she bit out.
“I didn’t think you listened during the speech.” His soft laughter filled her ear. She hadn’t heard a word the physician said about childhood obesity. Not that she hadn’t tried. She did. But his monotone voice and his dejected attempt at humor had left her daydreaming instead of interested.
“I heard most of it,” she muttered. No need for him to know exactly how ignorant his wife was. He already had his ideas on the subject, so she didn’t see the need to give him more proof.
“Would you like to spend tomorrow evening with Maria and Silver or would you prefer going to the ballet? I was given tickets as a gift from the senator, but he only gave me two.” She stiffened in his arms. An evening with Maria and Silver staring at her, wondering if she’d been punished that day? Hell no.
“I think I’d like the ballet,” she whispered and pretended to be intrigued by the magician who was beginning a new illusion. It would be so easy to melt into him, to embrace his warmth in the tender way he held her. His cologne hinted of musk, not stifling but completely manly. If only he could see her as something more than an ill-behaved child with no education or worth. If only she hadn’t put that image into his head to begin with, maybe they’d have a chance at a happy marriage. As it stood, he did see her in that light, and her chances of happily-ever-after were getting slimmer and slimmer as the days passed.
ANTONIO
Something was wrong with his wife. Very wrong. She hadn’t tossed an insult or made an under-her-breath rant at him in two days. She hadn’t been unpleasant either. She graced him with a warm smile each morning and listened to him politely as he went over both of their schedules for the day. When he insisted she increase her security during a day trip out to visit Elisabeth’s mother in the suburbs, she had agreed without hesitation.
The only place she wasn’t as prim and proper as any other respectable princess was in bed. She may have minded her Ps and Qs during the day, but at night when he ordered her to strip, she complied, not only obediently but with a desire that equaled his. No, there was no passion lacking in their marital bed. Just everywhere else.
He casually felt her forehead before getting out of bed that morning to see if she burned with fever. The civility was beginning to irritate him.
“The surveillance team has found the exact location of Karen Vega as well as the other women who have been taken.” Julian began the afternoon security meeting. Antonio forced his thoughts from the concern of his wife and focused on the matter at hand. “There are only half a dozen men securing the facility with very little artillery. “
“They underestimate our ability to track them down?” Damon, a newer member of the team though not new to the Royal Guard, questioned.
“Doubtful.” Antonio shook his head. “They overestimate my willingness to give in to their demands. They assume since they have taken these daughters of the council members, we will cave in and give them what they want.” He sat up in his chair, folding his hands on the large conference table. The hotel had given him full access to their meeting rooms.
“We’ve never wavered before.”
“They’ve never taken the council’s family members before,” Antonio countered. “Has a plan been drawn up to extricate these women?”
The air conditioner unit of the room kicked in, and a cool breeze washed across the table, a welcome sensation. Antonio missed the tropical heat of his island. The humidity of this city was stifling. He wondered briefly if Isabella might enjoy an afternoon at the beach. She’d asked before to go and he’d denied her, but if he was with her, he saw no reason they shouldn’t. Seeing her smile genuinely again as she had when watching those juggling clowns would be payment enough. And well worth any aggravation he would endure for canceling whatever his other engagements were.
“They are ready to go when you give the okay.” Julian slid a paper in front of Antonio. �
�They believe they should have the women out safely within a day. But there will be casualties.”
“Not all of them. I want one man left standing, and I want him questioned. Once he has given us all the information he can, then he will go before our military board.” Antonio shoved the paper away, not needing to see the exact details. His team would not disappoint. Standing from the table, he buttoned his suit jacket. “Give them the okay to proceed at the earliest opportunity.”
The men stood around the table, giving their nods of acceptance before filing out of the room. Julian stayed behind to scoop up his belongings. “Julian.” Antonio laid a hand on his arm. “I am taking Isabella to the beach this afternoon. Please arrange a team.”
“Of course, Your Highness. I will let Dimitri know to cancel your previous plans.” Dimitri would probably want to take his head off, but Antonio would brave his public relations officer later. After he spent the afternoon making his wife happy.
“Thank you. Also, has Isabella given her team any trouble lately?”
Julian thought for a moment and shook his head. “No. In fact, they haven’t complained about her in several days.”
“They were complaining before?” Antonio’s face tightened—had they said something to her? Could that be what had been bothering her the past few days?
“No, Your Highness.” Julian was quick to defend his men. “Not complaining about her. They mentioned that she didn’t always stick to protocol and a few times they had to search for her. She tried slipping away from them several times, it seems.”